Sunday, September 30, 2012

Week 5 Review

Where's The Defense? 


If you're a fan of high scoring games and teams lighting up the scoreboard, then Saturday was probably a good day of football for you. It seemed to be offensive Saturday and everybody was trying to get in on the point party. I didn't get to watch as much football as I would have liked this weekend, but from what I saw it looked like week 5 was another good one. 


Its not how you start, but how you finish!


Clemson and South Carolina both struggled early to start their games this weekend but both were able to right the ship in the second half and pick up not only a big road win but a conference victory as well. The Tigers proved yet again that they can play well without Sammy Watkins (who missed the trip to BC due to an abdominal virus) as they knocked off a scrappy BC team 45-31. Boyd had a solid performance throwing for 367 yards, 3 TD's and 1 INT. Ellington did his part rushing for 132 yards and 1 TD from a few yards out where he went airborne and fell into the end zone. Hopkins continued to impress with 197 yards and 1 TD as well. The Tigers return home next week as they host cross-division foe, Georgia Tech at 3:30pm on ESPN. The Gamecocks trailed Kentucky 17-7 at half but overcame the road crowd and adversity to get the 38-17 victory. Lattimore rushed for 120 yards and 2 TDs on 23 carries. Shaw through for 148 yards and 2 TDs. The Gamecocks improved to 5-0 on the year and prepare for a HUGE showdown with UGA in Columbia next weekend. ESPN's College Game Day will be in town and it should be a great match up that will, like Clemson-FSU was, carry both BCS and conference title game implications. 


Is Football in the state of Florida finally back?  



For the last few years, Miami, FSU and Florida have had down years and have found themselves outside of not only the top ten, but the top 25 at times as well. It appears those days are gone as FSU is 5-0, Florida is 4-0 and Miami is 4-1 and undefeated in ACC play.. It will be interesting to see where the teams end up down the stretch because right now they are looking impressive. I'm willing to bet all three are in the top 25 in the final AP poll.


Final Thoughts 


Alabama was voted unanimously #1 in the new AP poll released Sunday afternoon following its 33-14 victory over Ole Miss. Oregon lit up the scoreboard again beating Washington State 51-26. LSU struggled with Towson but got the job done 38-22. Florida State pulled away from USF in the 2nd half and defeated the Bulls 30-17. UGA took care of Tennessee in a shootout 51-44. Baylor and WVU put up basketball numbers as the Geno Smith (656 yards, 8 TDs) led his guys to a 70-63 win. Those are video game numbers...that is just absurd. WHERE'S THE DEFENSE?!?! Texas outlasted Okie St 41-36. Ohio St sneaked pass Michigan St, 17-16. Middle Tennessee State stunned Georgia Tech 49-28....that is not a typo either, folks. Still haven't figured out what happened in Atlanta yesterday. And last but not least, Washington pulled the upset over Stanford 17-13 Thursday night.  Following a poor 8-5 record last week I cleared the board this weekend and went 10-0. That puts me at 41-14 for the year. Now thats what I'm talking about! 

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Week 5 Predictions

Its a shame the weeks leading up to college football didn't go by as fast as the last four weeks have. We are already in week five and it seems like just last week South Carolina and Vanderbilt were kicking off the season on a Thursday night. This season has got to slow down, its going by way too fast for me! Week 4 was another good one...how will week 5 measure up? Lets take a look...



Take Your Pick: Week 5


Clemson travels to Chestnut Hill to take on Boston College, one week after a tough loss to the hands of Florida State. For me, this game is just as scary as last week and I'll tell you why. Its a picture perfect time to for the Tigers to do what they do best and lose on the road, or period for that matter, to a team they should handle with ease. We've become notorious for this and until it changes you can't blame people for always thinking in the back of their heads, sooner or later...we will cave in. Until we prove  we have taken it to the next level, these games will always be ones approached cautiously by college football fans. However, I think the Tigers bounce back and get the win. The last time Clemson made the trip to Boston it was in front of a pitiful 32,000 fans....a decent amount of which were dressed in orange. I say that because along with the preparation and experience from last week and in the Georgia Dome, this trip should   be a much "easier one" from the atmosphere standpoint. Boston College (1-2) is coming off a bye-week and they will be prepared for the Tigers but I expect Clemson to come focused and ready to play. I heard someone make the allusion to Tim Tebow's "promise" following their home loss to Ole Miss in regards to Boyd's call for a "player's only" meeting on Monday afternoon.....could we see similar results? Only time will tell. Defense continues to struggle this week, but bottom line is Clemson is too talented on offense for the Eagles. 

Prediction: Clemson 41 Boston College 24


South Carolina hits the road as well this week as they travel to Kentucky. No upset alert here. The Wildcats are terrible this year and with Florida flexing is muscle early this season, South Carolina can't afford a slip up to Kentucky and have to approach this game with the same mentality as if they were playing Georgia or LSU. Shaw is coming off a stellar performance and will pick up from where he left off against Missouri. Gamecocks win big on the road and improve to 5-0 in the 2012 campaign. 

Prediction: South Carolina 56 Kentucky 16


Georgia welcomes a much improved Tennessee team to town this week. The Vols only loss is to Florida and they are playing well so far this year. However, UGA seems to be the better of the two and I think they get the job done and head to Columbia, SC next week undefeated. Cue the Game Day from Columbia, SC promo. Bulldogs will with convincingly. And Aaron Murray continues to put up big numbers. 

Prediction: Georgia 28 Tennessee 10


Other Predictions: 

#1 Alabama over Ole Miss

#2 Oregon over Washington St

#3 LSU over Towson (whoever that is) 

#4 Florida St over USF 

#9 West Virginia over #25 Baylor 

#12 Texas over Oklahoma St.

#14 Ohio St over #20 Michigan St







Monday, September 24, 2012

Rear View Mirror: Week 4

Once again, I'm switching things up with this week's post. Decided to change the title for this week's review and it seems pretty fitting. Week 4 is over and we are slowly learning more about which teams are legit, which ones aren't ready yet, and those who may need a new head coach when December rolls around. Regardless, its over and is in the past, the biggest week of the season is now week 5. Here is a look at the weekend's games: 





Clemson was unable to keep the pedal pressed down on the Noles and once again had its defense exposed as Florida State scored 35 points in the second half as they defeated Dabo Swinney's squad 49-37. The game started off pretty exciting with both teams scoring on their first drive. It looked like we were in for a shootout, but the Clemson offense struggled in the second half and defense seemed to run out of steam down the stretch. Its a tough loss for the Tigers as they now need help from two other teams to beat FSU if they want to return to the ACC Championship this year. With a trip to Boston College up this week, a game Clemson SHOULD win, they have to put this one in the rear view mirror. Don't let FSU beat you twice and ultimately..."pull a Clemson". 


Conner Shaw looked to be pretty healthy Saturday going 20/21 for 249 yards and 2 TD's. He is also my first weekly National Player of The Week. Stellar performance as he only missed his first pass and went on to rattle of the next 20 in a row nearly breaking the NCAA record. The Gamecocks had Williams Brice rocking and gave a rude welcoming to their visiting SEC foe, Missouri, giving them a 31-10 loss and improving to 4-0 and #6 in the nation with a road trip to Kentucky looming on the schedule next. Marcus Lattimore didn't have a huge day on the ground but finished off the dirty work and had two short yardage TD runs. Seems like the ole ball coach is still not quite ready to turn Marcus loose completely with 30+ carries per game. And heck, if Shaw/Thompson keep playing like this, South Carolina might not even need that much production from Lattimore, anyway. We shall see. UGA comes to town next weekend in a game that will have SEC and BCS implications. You talk about huge football games....wow. That is gonna be a good one. 




For the first time this season I came true on my designated "upset pick" of the week. Rugters went on the road into Arkansas and beat the Razorbacks  35-26 and improved to 4-0 on the season. For you Clemson fans out there, you may remember a guy by the name of Rob Spence. The former Clemson Offensive Coordinator is the QB coach there now. His main man, Gary Nova, through for 397 yards and 5 TD's in the win. Congrats to Coach Spence and the entire Rugters program for a big victory and hot start to the season. Oklahoma was also bitten by the upset bug this weekend falling to #15 Kansas St 24-19. RB John Hubert played a big role in the win rushing for 130 yards on 23 carries for 1 TD in the win. Auburn put up quite the fight against LSU but could not finish the job and fell 12-10 to the #2 team in the nation. UGA had no problems with Vanderbilt beating the Commodores 48-3 in Athens. Oregon blanked Arizona 49-0 and continues to look impressive. Alabama continues to flex its muscle, this week it was at the expense of FAU as they rolled to a 40-7 victory. 



Maryland put up a fight but could not get it done and lost a close one to WVU 31-21. Notre Dame knocked off Michigan 13-6. Florida shutout Kentucky 38-0, the Gators are now 4-0. Watch out for them! Nebraska had its way with Idaho St 73-7. Miami rallied and knocked off GT on the road,42-36 in OT. Baylor held off La-Monroe 47-42 and finally, my Blue Hose late rally wasn't enough and Furman got the win in this rivalry game, 31-21. 






As far as predictions go I didn't do too hot this week going 8-5 thus making my overall record for the season now 31-14. Going to need a strong performance this weekend as I try to recover from a rough week 4. Be on the look out Thursday as I tackle Week 5 and what it has to offer college football fans. Until then, feel free to follow me on twitter at @CHallSportsBlog and also take a listen to the guys at @SportsWeekLive I joined Scott and Mike Sunday evening and talked about Clemson-FSU, Notre Dame to the ACC, and a few other things in my first real radio appearance. Enjoyed it and look forward to talking sports again with them soon. 

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Week 4 Predictions

A Tough Act to Follow


Week Three provided fans quite the excitement. Last minute finishes, Overtime Thrillers, Comebacks, Blowouts and, of course, a few Upsets. Can Week 4 live up to the standard set last weekend? I don't have that answer, but the potential is definitely there. Lets take a look at what's in store for us this weekend. 

Take Your Pick: Week 4



Missouri @ #7 South Carolina 


The Tigers face their first road game in the SEC. That in itself would be a tall task. Add in the #7 team in the nation in the mix, the mountain just got even taller. Missouri proved they could hang with UGA in the first half but the game got away from them down the stretch. Williams Brice will be rocking and Conner Shaw or no Conner Shaw I think the Gamecocks get it done. However, it may be closer than the fans in Garnet and Black would like for most of the game. Nevertheless, they'll pull away late in the game and get the win. 

The Pick: South Carolina 34 Missouri 21



Vanderbilt @ #5 Georgia 

The Commodores had South Carolina on the ropes until the final moments in the 4th quarter in their season opener. They are definitely and improved team. However, I think UGA is a better team and Vanderbilt has to hit the road for this SEC match-up. Aaron Murray is closing in on 1,000 yards passing already (842 yards, 8 TD's) and is off to a great start. Bulldogs get pass the Commodores with relative ease. 

The Pick: Georgia 35 Vanderbilt 21




#2 LSU @ Auburn

The Tigers just barely escaped with a win over the WarHawks last week to avoid the 0-3 start. That is good news for them because LSU is gonna take them behind the woodshed. The murmur you heard after the Mississippi St loss begins to turn into a grumbling from Auburn fans as they really become on edge after a 1-3 start to the season. 

The Pick: LSU 44 Auburn 10


Other Games of Interest: 

#1 Alabama over Florida Atlantic 

#3 Oregon over #22 Arizona 

#6 Oklahoma over #15 Kansas State

#13 USC over California 

#18 Michigan over #11 Notre Dame

WVU over Maryland

Georgia Tech over Miami (FL)

Presbyterian College over Furman 

**Upset Pick**  

Rugters over Arkansas (Yeah, I said it!!!) 















And last but not least......

ESPN's College Game Day to feature #10 Clemson @ #4 Florida State


College Game day. 8pm. #4 vs #10. ACC Showdown. Dabo vs Jimbo. Division Rivals. Potential BCS implications.....This is what its all about, folks! Here. We. Go!!!!!


Preview:  
Clemson opens as a 13 point under-dog to the Noles this weekend. However, that isn't anything new. Clemson has been the underdog in every game since 2003, with the exception of 2009. However, the Tigers have came out on the winning side in 6 out of those 9 meetings. At Death Valley, FSU hasn't won since 2001...but this game is in Doak Campbell. A place where Tiger wins have been few and far between. I was in attendance the last time Clemson won down in Tallahassee back in 2006. Before then, the last win at FSU was in 1989. Many fans may remember the showdown in 2000 in which FSU won 54-7. I expect this meeting to be much closer and a much lower score. 







Keys to a Tiger Victory: 

1. Win The Turnover Battle
The Tigers can't afford to turnover the ball and will have to be on the positive side of the turnover margin in this game. Point. Blank. Period. 

2. Run Defense/Big Plays 
The Tigers have been very suspect on defense thus far. A few of the touchdowns Clemson has given up came on big plays not only on the ground, but through the air.  Defense will have to step it up and also make stops on 3rd down to get off the field. 

3. Don't Beat Yourself 
With the odds already stacked against you as a 13 point underdog on the road in a hostile environment, Clemson will have to avoid mental errors and penalties. Gotta pay attention and focus as I suspect the guys will be going with some silent counts to off-set some of the noise...this could lead to mistakes and false starts.. something the Tigers can't afford.  

4. Lets Get Physical 
This game is going to be won in the trenches and the Tigers are young upfront on the line and will be battling a tough, physical, and talented defensive front. They will have to play grown man football and not be intimidated by FSU. Tighten up that chin strap and battle!! 

Prediction: 
I still haven't quite figured out how every year FSU gets all this hype and BCS title hopes yet they haven't even won the conference since 2008. Nevertheless, this is a solid football team. I've been back and forth all week with this one and I really don't know what to expect. Clemson has proven it can win on a big stage with the hard fought win over Auburn in the Georgia Dome. However, this is a whole different ball game. College Game Day will be there and the entire nation will be watching. Plus the game is in "The Doak". Tajh Boyd has grown up a great bit since last year but can he lead his Tigers to one of the biggest wins in Clemson history? Will the offensive line even give them that chance? Is Florida State even that good?  I mean, make no mistake about it, this is a huge test for them as well. Playing JV football teams the first two weeks and Wake Forest last week...do we really know how good this Seminole team is? Sammy Watkins had a huge day against the Noles last season and hard to believe he won't be huge again this time around. At the end of the day, I'm not sure Clemson has showed me enough to believe they can go get this one in Tallahassee. Although you never know with my team. I could easily see us get a win this week down at FSU then come back with our tails tucked between our legs from Boston College next weekend after a letdown. I've gone back and forth literally all week with my pick for this game but I've made a decision and I'm sticking to it. As the week has progressed, my optimism has grown to near confidence. That being said, pour me another glass of that orange kool-aid because I think someway, somehow, we find a way to get it done in the Doak. There are some mismatches with our wide outs and their secondary. The key will be if Tajh has time to throw the ball and make things happen down field. AE is also key...if he has success running the ball early it can only pay off later in the game and open up things through the air. Could there be a little payback in the works from our last trip with down to Tallahassee with a GW Field Goal of our own? (Spencer Benton already proved he can knock them down from 60+ this year and "Cat Man"  aka Chandler Catanzaro can also be clutch) We shall see. It may be a biased homer-pick but hey...this is my blog, and I do what I want! ;)  Cue the Tiger Rag! 

The Pick: Clemson 27 Florida State 24

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Week 3: Upset City

Willing to bet not many people saw it coming, but Saturday turned into upset weekend before it was all said and done. I'll take a look back at the excitement this weekend produced and also set the stage for what should be an even better weekend next Saturday.

This is Why I Love College Football 


I said it yesterday and I'll say it again, if you can't get into college football after a day like yesterday, you need to seek medical attention. This is what its all about. Last minute finishes, upsets, and blowouts. Saturday had it all and more and kept us college football fans on the edge of our seats all day long. I'll start with my PC Blue Hose. To sum it up, our guys just ran out of steam in the second half. We played hard all game long but too much depth and talent to match up against for four quarters. Zac Stacy of Vanderbilt is a stud and he could be the difference-maker in many of the Commodores' games down the stretch. With the 58-0 rout of PC, the 1-2 'Dores now prepare to battle #5 UGA next weekend.



 What Now? 


Many people believed that this was USC's year and that the trojans were primed to win another title this year. Lane Kiffins crew rolled in the first two games of the season but hit a brick wall in the form of Stanford Saturday night. The Trojans fell to Cardinals (3-0) 21-14. With the win, the Cardinals now find themselves ranked #9 and in position to make a great run at a BCS bowl bid. It will be interesting to see how USC reacts from this shocking upset. I noted in my blog that USC would trip up at some point this season though I had no idea it would come to Stanford or this early in the season.


Another Upset


Michigan St also got bitten by the upset bug Saturday as Notre Dame gave them all they could handle and then some en route to a 20-3 victory. Didn't see this one coming either but hats off to the Irish and future members of the ACC....well, kinda...for the big win. 


Auburn avoids 0-3 start, wins OT thriller over LA-Monroe 



It took overtime and a missed FG by La-Monroe, but Auburn found a way to avoid the diasterous 0-3 start to the season and knocked off the WarHawks 31-28. However, with LSU up next, there is no time to celebrate. Auburn has go to find some answers or its going to be a long season on the plains. And though they are just two years removed from a BCS title, Tiger fans are going to become very restless if Gene Chizik doesn't get Auburn back on track. 


#10 Clemson, #7 South Carolina both win big and move to 3-0....prepare for conference play this weekend 




Both Clemson and South Carolina had shaky starts but had no problem down the stretch putting their oppoonents away as Clemson defeated Furman 41-7 and South Carolina knocked off UAB 49-6. Sammy Watkins returned with a splash scoring his first rushing touchdown from 58 yards out. Boyd moved into second place on the all time touchdown passes list, second behind Charlie Whitehurst. He is only 6 behind Charlie and will demolish that record with ease. Clemson now prepares for another ESPN College GameDay expereince as they take on #4 FSU in Tallahassee. The Gameocks might be without Conner Shaw the next time they take the field as he re-injured his shoulder in the game Saturday night. South Carolina host Missouri next weekend in Columbia at 3:30 and will look to pick up their first SEC win of the year.


Other News/Scores



Alabama continues to flex its muscle as it shutout Arkansas 52-0. They are now followed in the polls by #2 LSU who rolled over Idaho 63-14. UGA struggled early, but pulled away from FAU 56-20. A showdown with Vandy next week is the last major roadblock keeping them from a perfect record when they head to Columbia October 6th. Pittsburgh, who joins the ACC next year had a nice welcoming present from Virginia  Tech beating the Hokies 35-17. Urban Meyer's Buckeyes survived against Cal and improved to 3-0 with a 35-28 victory. Florida rallied in Neyland and stuck to the Vols 37-20. I didn't think the Gators could win on the road two weeks in a row, but they did it. Are they back? We'll have to see, but its making that SEC-East race even more exciting now. #14 Texas had its way with Ole Miss routing the rebels 66-31. I came into Saturday with an overall record of 16-7 and started off undefeated on the day but thanks to USC's upset and Florida's big win, I finished the day 7-2. I also would like to toot my own horn and point out my prediction for the Gamecocks was nearly perfect. I called 49-3 and they won 49-6. Overall now, I'm looking at 23-9 heading into week 4. Satisfied with the record but until I go undefeated on the day, there is still work to be done. 

Monday, September 17, 2012

Nice Day for 2 Former Tigers

Two current NFL players and former Clemson standouts had a great game Sunday. Following a solid performance in week 1, C.J. Spiller posted another 100 yard output and added 2 touchdowns as the Bills rolled over Kansas City 35-17. Former TE Dwayne Allen also had a nice day and a great start to his career. His first catch ever went for a 3 yard TD from Andrew Luck. The Colts also won as they knocked off Minnesota 23-20. Best of luck to those two guys the rest of the season.



Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Week 3 Predictions

Week 3 Rundown


A look at what College Football has in store for us in week three. Hard to believe we're this deep into the season already. Seems like it was just last week I was going crazy waiting for the season to start and now we are almost a 1/4 of the way through the regular season! 


Presbyterian College travels to Vanderbilt Saturday at noon. Coming off a 52-3 loss to GT last week and with Furman lurking on the schedule next weekend, the Blue Hose look to just compete well and avoid any major injuries in the game that, lets be honest...really doesn't matter. Lets just get our paycheck and get outta here! 

Pick: Vanderbilt 41 Presbyterian 10



Furman comes into Death Valley 0-2. The Clemson offense is rolling right now and Sammy Watkins will be back on the field. That spells trouble for Furman and everyone else on the Tiger's schedule. Defensively, #11 Clemson has to tighten it up and the time is NOW with a road trip to FSU in the rear view mirror. That's the key for Clemson...Furman first, FSU after. Tigers roll. 

Pick: Clemson 57 Furman 24


After two high school opponents in Murray St and Savannah St, #5 FSU finally joins the rest of the world in a legit college football game as Wake Forest comes to town. Unfortunately for the Demon Deacons, the result might not be much better for them. Seminoles win big, prepare for showdown with Clemson Sept 22nd. 

Pick: Florida St 38 Wake Forest 13 


#8 South Carolina looks to work out any remaining kinks as they take on UAB Saturday night in Columbia. Too much power, too much speed. Gamecocks get the job done easily and improve to 3-0 and get a nice warm up for the first SEC game of the year against Missouri next weekend. 

Pick: South Carolina 49 UAB 3




#1 Alabama hits the road to take on Arkansas who is coming off a loss to LA-Monroe. If you're looking for an upset, look elsewhere. Not going to happen. No case of letting the same team beat you twice here either, Alabama is just flat out the better team, AND they will prove it. 

Pick: Alabama 35 Arkansas 10




#2 USC faces #21 Stanford. Too much offensive power and overall talent all over the field for Lane Kiffin's crew. I do have USC tripping up at some point this season, this weekend is not that time. Trojans put together another highlight reel.

Pick: USC 38 Stanford 17



#9 WVU welcomes James Madison to town. This one cold get really, really, ugly folks. Keep looking for that upset elsewhere...Mountaineers roll. 

Pick: WVU 56 JMU 6








#12 OSU host California. Urban Meyer and company keep the momentum going and improve to 3-0 on the year. 

Pick: Ohio St 28 California 10


And last but not least, College Gameday's game of the week:


#18 Florida travels to #23 Tennessee...for some reason I really want to believe in the Vols this year. The game is in Neyland and you know it will be a packed house under the lights. Florida got the job done in a hostile environment last week at Texas A&M but can do they do it two weeks in a row and against an arguably better team? I don't think they can pull it off. Tennessee wins a thriller. 

The Pick: Tennessee 24 Florida 20





Breaking News: Calhoun to retire, ND is ACC Bound

Notre Dame is headed to the ACC




Woke up this morning to some..well lets just say, interesting news. Notre Dame is heading to the ACC for all sports except football. However, they will still play 5 ACC teams each season. Its a big move for the Irish and people are timing in on the move from all over not only the ACC and Big East but the entire nation. I personally am not a fan of the news though I've already become more welcoming as the day has progressed. This morning I was...well, honestly, ticked off about it, especially the fact that it does not involve football yet ND can still steal a bowl spot from the ACC and STILL play in the Orange Bowl against the ACC Champions. Another major announcement is that the ACC knocked up the exit fee to $50 Million....so those fans out there still thinking Clemson/FSU to the SEC can get that out of your head. It ain't happening. Details are still unfolding, so stay tuned to a more indepth look at the ACC's new school and what it means to not only Clemson, but the rest of the ACC as well.

Hall of Fame Coach Stepping Down 



This afternoon news broke that UCONN Men's Head Basketball Coach, Jim Calhoun, is expected to announce his retirement-- effective immediately sometime tomorrow. The Hall of Fame coach led the Huskies to 3 National Championships. (1999,2004, 2011) The 70 year old is a cancer survivor and also is recovering from a fractured hip he suffered this summer. He just felt like this was a good time to step down and move on to the next chapter in life. Current Assistant coach Kevin Ollie will take over as head coach. Never been much of a fan of UCONN but hats off to Coach Calhoun on a great career and I wish him a happy and peaceful retirement!


Monday, September 10, 2012

Week 2 Review

Going to go with a little different format today on my review of week 2 in college football. Not sure how its going to turn out but gonna give it a try and try to touch more on other things around the SEC and ACC other than just Clemson and South Carolina. Here we go!


Tigers Roll over Ball St.


Clemson welcomed back Ball St to Death Valley for the first time since 2007 Saturday. It was scorcher but great day in Tigertown. Clemson scored early and often en route to a 52-27 victory that saw the back-ups enter the game as the first half came to a close. It was just about what most people expected for this game. A big highlight game came from the special teams department. Before Saturday, the last play in Death Valley was Chandler Catanzaro's Game Winning FG against Wake Forest as time expired that punched the Tiger's ticket to the ACC Championship game in Charlotte. Though the situation was a lot less tense this go around, Clemson also made a huge kick as the first half expired this weekend. Spencer Benton proved true on an ACC record 61-yard field goal. It led to an eruption in Death Valley. It was not much of a surprise for his teammates and coaches. Dabo reported after the game that he knocks down 70 yards on a regular basis in practice so they were more than confident he would get the job done to close out the first half Saturday. The Tigers, now ranked #11 in the AP poll, still have some problems on the defensive side of the ball and rush defense is looking very suspect right now. Getting that fixed is a must if the Tigers want to successfully defend their ACC title.


No Shaw? No Problem. 


South Carolina had no problem handing ECU Saturday knocking off the Pirates 48-10. On the surface this may seem like no big deal. However, after the lack of a passing game in week 1 and the injury of Conner Shaw forcing back-up Dylan Thompson onto the field, it made this match-up a little more interesting...or so I thought. But I was wrong...Thompson threw for 330 yards and 3 TD's with no interceptions and lead his squad to a solid home opener victory. Another surprise in this game was Lattimore. He only had 40 yards on 13 carries and 1 TD. A relatively quiet performance from the Byrnes High School standout.  Luckily for the Gamecocks, it didn't matter because Thompson brought his A game Saturday. Steve Spurrier's crew, now ranked #8 in the nation, prepares for UAB at home this weekend. 7pm kick.



Welcome to the SEC! 


SEC Newcomers Texas A&M and Missouri both had their first conference game this past weekend and both found out that, even at home...its hard to win in the SEC. Texas A&M, who I actually had winning in my upset pick of the week seemed to be in good shape early in the game from the part that I watched. However, the Aggies were kept scoreless in the 2nd half and that allowed UF to rally and pull off the 20-17 victory in a sell out crowd in College Station. The 12th man definitely made its presence felt and from an atmosphere standpoint, looks like they (A&M) will be a nice addition to the SEC. Mike Gillislee was the difference for the Gators. He rushed for 2 TD's on 14 carries for a total of 83 yards. Georgia struggled early as well and went into intermission down 10-9. However, the second half would belong to the Dawgs as they would put up 15 points in the 3rd quarter followed by 17 in the 4th to ruin Missouri's coming out party beating the Tigers 41-20. With the win, UGA is now 2-0 and is one step closer to an epic showdown against South Carolina in Columbia October 6.


And our first big upset victim of the year is.......



Apparently, LA-Monroe has "SEC Speed" because they gave Arkansas the business Saturday and stunned the top ten ranked hogs in OT 34-31. This isn't the first time the WarHawks pulled an upset against an SEC squad. Back in 2007, they knocked off Alabama 21-14. It is a huge hit to Arkansas and could very likely cost them a BCS bowl bid later in the season. If the SEC race ends up being a close one, people will look back to this game and say hey, they lost to LA-Monroe at home... _____ deserves this bowl spot over them. I personally love this. College upsets are what make this game so great. You have to bring your A game every time you step out on the field, no matter the opponent, or you can and WILL get beat. Bottom Line.


Tigers on Thin Ice


No, I'm not talking about Clemson. I'm talking Auburn. After losing to Miss St. Saturday 28-10, the Tigers are treading dangerous waters right now sitting at 0-2 and 0-1 in SEC play. They host none other than LA-Monroe this weekend but next weekend LSU comes to town. Though I expect Auburn to step up and handle its business this weekend, the possibility of them starting off 0-4 is very possible right now. Arkansas follows LSU then road trips to Ole Miss and Vanderbilt are next. The Tigers must get the ball rolling if they want to make a bowl game this year...its crazy that we are talking about that possibility in week 3, but I believe it is a serious concern right now.


Other Scores from the Weekend


#5 FSU had no mercy on Savannah St and beat them 55-0 in just 3 quarters as the game was called due to the threat of weather. 

Oregon St. shocks #13 Wisconsin 10-7

Ohio St takes care of UCF 31-16

#22 UCLA upsets #16 Nebraska 36-30

#21 Kansas St punishes Miami (FL) 52-13 

ND beats Purdue 20-17 

UVA survived against Penn St 17-16 thanks to four missed FG's on the day by the Nittany Lions

#1 Alabama shuts out W. Kentucky 35-0 

#3 LSU has no trouble with Washington, 41-3 

#19 Michigan over Air Force Academy 31-25

#2 USC beats Syracuse 42-29

Georgia Tech runs wild on PC, 59-3

Coastal Carolina wins an OT thriller against Furman 47-45

Take Your Pick Results: 

I finished week 2 with a record of 10-4. My overall record for the year is now 16-7 heading into Week 3. It isn't perfect, but I'll take it. Here's to running the table next weekend with my predictions! 


Thursday, September 6, 2012

Week 2 Predictions

#12 Clemson (1-0, 0-0) vs Ball St (1-0, 1-0)



When: Saturday, September, 8 2012, 12:30 PM
Where: Clemson, SC, Memorial Stadium



Preview: 

Ball State returns to Death Valley for the first time since 2002 when the Tigers defeated the Cardinals 30-7. Ball State has lost their last 12 games against Top 25 opponents Both teams are coming off wins to start the season. Last week, Clemson knocked off Auburn in Atlanta in the Georgia Dome 26-19 Saturday evening while Ball St beat Eastern Michigan 37-26 on Aug. 30. Both teams run an high-tempo offense which should make for an "exciting" fast-paced game.

Prediction:

Clemson answered a lot of questions last weekend, though some are still on the table and a few new came to surface. Many people thought the Tigers could not win without wide out Sammy Watkins. DeAndre Hopkins made sure the entire nation knew how dangerous of a threat he was reeling in a school record 13 receptions.  Arguably the biggest one of his career thus far in the 4th quarter that put the Tigers head 23-19. Andre Ellington is finally healthy and the star RB leads the nation in rushing after opening weekend with 228 yards. Watkins will be sitting out this game as well but will be on the sidelines to cheer on his teammates. Dabo Swinney praises Ball States QB Keith Wenning. The mobile and dangerous dual threat QB threw for 267 yards against E. Michigan last week. RB Jawhan  Edwards in the backfield is also no scrub and rushed for a career best 200 yards on 20 carries last week. Ball St also runs an up-tempo offense and ran nearly 90 plays in Week 1. (Clemson ran 87) This will be the first game in Death Valley since Clemson was crowned ACC Champions. It should be a great "homecoming". Lets be serious, if Clemson takes care of business and "plays to the standard set..against a faceless, nameless opponent" as Dabo has noted, the Tigers should have no issues. Should be a great opportunity to get young players some action and experience that should be helpful later in the season.

The Pick:
Clemson 40 Ball State 21



#9 South Carolina (1-0, 0-0) vs East Carolina (1-0,0-0)

When: Saturday, September 8, 12:30pm
Where: Columbia, SC, Williams Brice Stadium


Preview:

South Carolina opens up home-play Saturday when ECU comes calling. Last year ECU gave the then ranked #12 Gamecocks a headache and took a 24-14 lead into halftime. However, S. Carolina was too much in the 2nd half and they rallied and won 56-37 in a game that was played in the Panthers' Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC. Lattimore was huge in that game scoring 3tds and racking up 112 yards on the ground. Based on last year added with the possiblity of having to play without Shaw, the Gamecocks have to be extremely focused at the task at hand or could find themselves in a dog fight this Saturday. Both teams will look to move to 2-0 on the year as South Carolina beat Vanderbilt 17-13  and East Carolina had their way with App St 35-13 in week one.

Prediction:

Last season, this game started off as a nightmare for Steve Spurrier's crew but he made some adjustments and in the end, ECU couldn't keep up in the 2nd half. Again this year South Carolina "should" be able to handle this game but it is one that should be approached carefully. As of Thursday evening, Shaw's status is still in the air and he, according to Spurrier, will be a "game-time decision". Shaw however believes he will be ready. It will be interesting to see who is under center when the Gamecocks take the field. If Shaw does play how effective will he be and will play-calling me altered to protect him more? Lattimore will again be the difference this year. Playing at home for the first time since his leg injury last season he will be fired up to be back in front of the Gamecock faithful. I think he is the difference and has a monster game. HOWEVER, I do exepect this one to be scrappy. It may not be pretty, but South Carolina will get it done.

The Pick:

South Carolina 27  ECU 14




Take Your Pick: Week 2         My Record: (6-3) 


I was 6-3 opening weekend and nearly came out 7-2 but my upset pick of Ga Tech over Va Tech fell just short. Anyways, I'll take the good start and hope to keep it rolling this week. Here. We. Go!!!!

Spotlight Game of the Week


#7 UGA travels to new SEC newcomer Missouri in a prime time feature at Faurot Field in Columbia, MO.
Veteran QB Aaron Murray with weapons not only on the ground with Gurley (pictured right) who rushed for 100 yards and 2 TDs last week on 8 carries, but through the air with Tavarres King who also surpassed the century mark and added a TD against Buffalo. UGA's defense is among the best in the nation. Missouri also had a 100 yard rusher last week in Kendial Lawrence who racked up 121 yards a 2 TD's. The Tigers defeated Southern Lousiana 62-10 in opening week. It should be a great atmosphere in Columbia as reports say the game is a sellout. However, UGA is just too talented on both sides of the ball. Bulldogs get it done and open up SEC play with a win.

The Pick:

Georgia 27  Missouri 13


Other Picks:


#1 Alabama over Western Kentucky
#2 USC over Syracuse
#3 LSU over Washington
#13 Wisconsin over Oregon State
#16 Nebraska over UCLA
#19 Michigan over Air Force Academy
#21 Kansas St over Miami (FL)
#22 ND over Purdue
Furman over Coastal Carolina
Georgia Tech over Presbyterian College


Upset Watch 

Texas A&M over #24 Florida


Monday, September 3, 2012

Week 1:Review

Ellington and Hopkins lead Clemson to 2nd straight win over Auburn

Bend but don't break defense lead by new DC Brent Venables gets the job done in the 4th quarter

Many football fans were interested to see how successful Clemson would be against Auburn without star receiver Sammy Watkins. Well, they got their answer. DeAndre Hopkins had a record setting day hauling in 13 catches for 119 yards and the Game winning highlight reel catch from Tajh Boyd at the 9:17 mark in the 4th quarter. Hopkins made a diving over the back catch on a fade route in the corner of the end zone and put his team ahead 23-19. Clemson would also had a FG to end all scoring at 26-19. Auburn struggled all day long to get into the end zone and a sack by Vic Beasley on 3rd down just about put it out of reach for Auburn who's final prayer fell incomplete on 4th down. Andre Ellington had a heck of a game to say the least rushing for 231 yards on 26 carries. Ellington is healthy for the first time since early 2010 and he showed the nation just how dangerous he can be. The Tigers needed someone to step up and they got just that. The defense had a few blown plays in pass coverage and gave up some decent chunks on the ground, but when it mattered most, they stood tall and denied Auburn from the end zone. Something that really stood out to me is Tajh Boyd. He was noticeably slimmer and quicker. Made some plays with his feet and got out of sticky situations--plays that would have been sacks last year. He also did this despite a shaky start in which he was pressured and sacked early by Auburn's defense. His poise and veteran leadership was monumental down the stretch. I predicted a 23-17 Clemson win earlier in the week and came pretty close on that prediction. Clemson now looks to Ball St as they return home for the first time since Nov. 7th. Despite the opponent, it should be one heck of a "welcome back" party when the Tigers appear at the top of the hill next Saturday just before high noon.


Lattimore Is Back

One the first play of the season from scrimmage, USC gave it to Marcus Lattimore. He couldn't have asked for a worse start as the ball was jarred loose and Vanderbilt took over. He would get the last laugh though as he scored both of Carolina's TDs and and rushed for 110 yards on 23 carries. Shaw, who fought through a shoulder contusion suffered in the 2nd quarter, pushed through the pain and rushed for 92 yards on the ground averaging 6.2 yards per carry. However the passing game was nearly non-existent as the Gamecocks  only had 67 yards through the air and had 1 interception. Someone will have to step up and give Shaw options down the field. Though Lattimore is 100% and better than ever, Carolina will not be able to ride him all season long especially when they are 1 dimensional and have zero passing game threats. Shaw also needs to learn to slide feet first. He took a beating and is status is unknown for this weekend as he heals from this shoulder injury that took a few more major blows late in the game. As of Sunday, he suffers pain from simply lifting his right arm--this throwing arm. Kid has a lot of heart, but if he doesn't learn to protect himself he is gonna lose is head. Defense looks solid and are very fast this year which is a positive. It looks as if though Carolina will need most of their games to be low scoring defense struggles to be successful. Getting into shootouts will not be something Carolina wants to be a part of...in that respect they are like the opposite of Clemson who will thrive in those high scoring situation games. The bottom line Thursday was Vanderbilt did not capitalize on the key chances to cash in early in the game. Missed opportunities hurt them down the stretch. I expect them to be spoilers for people in the SEC this year though, so watch out for the Commodores! Carolina prepares for ECU this weekend as they too head back home for their home opener for the 2012 season.


Other Notes:

Alabama rolls over Michigan 41-14
USC defeats Hawaii 49-10
Oklahoma St wallops Savannah St 84-0
UGA handles Buffalo 45-23
Michigan St edges Boise St 17-13
Tennessee knocks off NCST 35-21
Ohio shocks Penn St 24-14